Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati on Tuesday said each and every industry should take up Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a growth strategy and all stakeholders should join hands to ensure its fruitful utilisation. The Chief Secretary said this while addressing a workshop on ‘CSR and Development in Odisha’ here. The workshop was organised jointly by IICA, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Centre for Youth and Social Development and National Foundation for India with support from the State Government and Unicef.
Stating that partnership among Govt, corporate houses and civil society organisations has a multiplier effect, Pati suggested that CSR funds should be utilised in skill development, providing quality education, adoption of technological innovations in areas of fly ash utilisation, generation of power from solid waste and enhancement of livelihood options.
Development Commissioner UN Behera said Odisha has put emphasis on CSR spending on agriculture and allied sectors and the emerging areas for potential CSR engagements. CYSD co-founder Jagadanada said there are many challenges before the State like poverty, hunger, malnutrition, education, healthcare, sanitation, regional disparity and tribal development which need to be addressed forthwith with proactive CSR measures. Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) DG Bhaskar Chatterjee said that CSR fund should not be utilised without structured project with defined outcomes.